Topics tagged with 'Science'
The surprising science of climate protests
3 May 2023
As an expected one billion people take part in Earth Day, the BBC's Jocelyn Timperley and Martha Henriques delve into the evidence behind protest as a force for change.
Wind turbine recycling breakthrough delivers promise in a test tube
3 May 2023
Wind energy uptake is soaring,. But the wind sector has an oversized problem on its hands: its massive blades, made up of carbon or glass fibre-reinforced epoxy plastic composites, have until now proven almost impossible to recycle.
Global ocean temperatures spike to record levels as El Niño nears
2 May 2023
Since mid-March, the world’s oceans have been hotter than at anytime since at least 1982, raising concerns among some climate experts about accelerated warming.
Soybean crops can take advantage of climate change to increase productivity
2 May 2023
As the climate continues to warm, atmospheric drying — the reduction of the amount of water the air can hold — is becoming a major concern for crop producers around the world.
Only 10 countries meeting basic needs of citizens in a sustainable way
2 May 2023
Just 10 countries are meeting the basic needs of their citizens in a sustainable way, according to a new study that looks at the water use and carbon emissions of 178 nations.
Carbon dioxide peaks over New Zealand
1 May 2023
Last Tuesday, NIWA’s CO2 reading at the Baring Head clean air station near Wellington reached an all-time high of 418.5 parts per million (ppm) - well above the “safe” level of 350 ppm that could keep warming below 1.5 degrees C.
Orbiting methane 'speed cameras' are catching polluters in the act
1 May 2023
Think of them as speed cameras, but for methane. Just like roadside instruments used to identify drivers breaking traffic rules, new powerful satellites are starting to catch oil and gas operators releasing the planet-warming gas into the atmosphere.
What it takes for a volcano to impact Earth's climate
28 Apr 2023
By Erik Klemetti - Discover | Whenever images of giant ash plume show up in the news, one of the first questions that arrives in my inbox is whether that eruption will impact the Earth's climate.
Kiwis in the running for Earthshot Prize
27 Apr 2023
A royal climate change mission is taking on a Kiwi flavour, with former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joining its team, and several nominees from Aotearoa in the running for one of its five £1 million (NZ $1.9 million) prizes.
Record ocean temperatures put Earth in ‘uncharted territory’: scientists
27 Apr 2023
Temperatures in the world’s oceans have broken fresh records, testing new highs for more than a month in an “unprecedented” run that has led to scientists stating the Earth has reached “uncharted territory” in the climate crisis.
Wind farms and birds are learning to coexist
27 Apr 2023
The Fryslan wind farm in the Netherlands is a sprawling array of 109-meter turbines situated in the deep blue waters of Lake Ijssel, north of Amsterdam.
Border tax on carbon dioxide offers huge opportunity to fight climate change, say researchers
26 Apr 2023
A tax on CO2 emissions from products entering the EU offers unprecedented opportunities in the fight against global warming.
Study finds that media's climate crisis coverage sparks fear and favours avoidance
24 Apr 2023
A study has revealed that the media's coverage of climate research is, to a large extent, carried out in a way that doesn't provoke action.
Panamanian tribe to be relocated from coastal island due to climate change: "There's no other option"
24 Apr 2023
For hundreds of years, the ocean has protected the Guna Yala culture on Cardi Sugdub, or Crab Island, located off the coast of Panama.
California researchers attempt ocean climate solution
21 Apr 2023
Atop a 100-foot barge tied up at the Port of Los Angeles, engineers have built a kind of floating laboratory to answer a simple question: Is there a way to cleanse seawater of carbon dioxide and then return it to the ocean so it can suck more of the greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere to slow global warming?
World's climate plans make for a worrying read
21 Apr 2023
According to the climate plans submitted to the UN by 50 countries, 12 gigatons of CO2 per year will continue to be emitted by 2050 -- and need to be removed from the atmosphere.
Restaurant menu labels could help fight climate change: new research
18 Apr 2023
If people had more information about the carbon footprint generated by the food they eat, would they make different decisions when ordering in restaurants?
Drastic cut in climate pollution is best path to economic growth: study
17 Apr 2023
Early and stringent action to rapidly and dramatically cut climate pollution is the best path for the global economy, according to a new working paper by American scientists.
Climate change causes strong declines in ecosystem services provided by tropical forests: study
14 Apr 2023
Tropical forests provide a variety of ecosystem services that are also of great global relevance, such as climate regulation and the provision of habitat for animals and plants.
Climate change is making the skies less friendly - prepare for a future where you always have your seatbelt on
11 Apr 2023
In his early days in the business, aviation expert John Nance used to make “Tornado Alley runs,” as he and other pilots with Braniff Airlines called them.
Chemists use bacteria to convert CO2 in the air into bioplastic
6 Apr 2023
A new simple hybrid setup allows bacteria to capture CO2 and produce biodegradable plastic for days, boosting output by 100 times previous efforts.
AI can spread climate misinformation ‘much cheaper and faster,’ study warns
4 Apr 2023
A team of researchers is ringing new alarm bells over the potential dangers artificial intelligence poses to the already fraught landscape of online misinformation, including when it comes to spreading conspiracy theories and misleading claims about climate change.
CFCs are back on the rise following an international ban: study
4 Apr 2023
Emissions of a small group of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), man-made chemicals that destroy Earth’s protective ozone layer and fuel global warming, are back on the rise after their production was all but banned more than a decade ago, a new study concludes.
Geoengineering is not a quick fix for the climate crisis, new analysis shows
4 Apr 2023
A controversial idea for cooling the earth’s climate through artificial means would likely require a much longer global commitment than policymakers and the public understand, according to a recent study that raises new questions about the potential for using solar geoengineering.
The oceans just reached their hottest temperature on record
3 Apr 2023
Scientists have watched in astonishment as ocean temperatures have steadily risen over the past several years – even as the cooling La Niña phenomenon had a firm grip on the Pacific.
Torrents of Antarctic meltwater are slowing the currents that drive our vital ocean ‘overturning’ – and threaten its collapse
31 Mar 2023
The Conversation - Off the coast of Antarctica, trillions of tonnes of cold salty water sink to great depths. As the water sinks, it drives the deepest flows of the “overturning” circulation – a network of strong currents spanning the world’s oceans.
Study highlights potential of Africa's 'forgotten' food crops for climate resilience and nutrition
31 Mar 2023
Scientists have identified several forgotten food crops in sub-Saharan Africa that can be incorporated into the cropping system to support climate resilience and nutrition in the region. The study has been published in the journal PNAS.
Meat and dairy giants face $24bn of climate-related losses by 2030
30 Mar 2023
That is according to a new report from investor coalition FAIRR, which convenes members with more than $70trn of assets under management in a drive to improve sustainability-related engagement between investors and companies in the protein sectors.
Methane cools even as it heats
29 Mar 2023
Most climate models do not yet account for a new UC Riverside discovery: methane traps a great deal of heat in Earth's atmosphere, but also creates cooling clouds that offset 30% of the heat.
Trees grow for extra month as planet warms: study
29 Mar 2023
Researchers studying hardwoods in northwest Ohio say a century of warming has extended their annual growing season by a month on average.
Dramatic changes in New Zealand river flows, research finds
24 Mar 2023
Media release | River flows in New Zealand have changed dramatically over the past 50 to 90 years as the climate has varied, a new study has found.
Wind farm noise not harmful to health: New study finds no evidence of wind turbine syndrome
24 Mar 2023
A new scientific study has become the latest to debunk the theory that infrasound generated by wind farms can be harmful to human health, finding no evidence at all for the existence of what has become known as wind turbine syndrome.
Climate models aren’t dusty enough
22 Mar 2023
Rising mineral dust levels in the atmosphere are counteracting global warming to some extent, according to a study published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.
Climate change: “It’s here, it's now, it’s us” - local experts on IPCC report
21 Mar 2023
The IPCC's latest report pulls no punches: “Climate change is here, it’s now, it’s us,” says Nick Cradock-Henry, GNS Science and IPCC contributing author.
Underwater turbulence revealed as a key factor in climate change
21 Mar 2023
When someone mentions waves, we are most likely to think of the beach and surfers riding breaks to shore, not the waves deep beneath the ocean's surface. Now, new research has shed light on the important role underwater waves play in climate change
Germany is failing to reach its climate goals
16 Mar 2023
In a press conference on 9 March the German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, presented his plan for accelerating the shift away from fossil fuel energy in a so-called “workshop report”.
Why saving the whales means saving ourselves
13 Mar 2023
In 2016, disturbing footage captured on a sunny beach in Argentina went viral. The video appeared in news outlets around the world under variations of a disquieting headline: “Baby dolphin dies after a mob of tourists pass it around to pose for selfies.”
New idea for sucking up CO2 from air shows promise
10 Mar 2023
A new way of sucking carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the sea has been outlined by scientists.
Scientists use TikTok to explain, fight climate change
10 Mar 2023
With his moustache caked in icicles and frozen droplets, glaciologist Peter Neff shows his 220,000 TikTok followers a sample of old ice excavated from Antarctica's Allan Hills.
Climate change blamed for declines in mountain plants
9 Mar 2023
Climate change has likely led to the decline of some of Scotland's mountain plants, according to new research.
Risky feedback loops are accelerating climate change, scientists warn
8 Mar 2023
Risky feedback loops that are accelerating global climate change may not be fully accounted for in current climate models, according to a recent study published in the scientific journal One Earth.
Global food systems can cause world to exceed temperature targets: study
7 Mar 2023
A new study by climate scientists sheds light on the significant role food systems will play in future global warming and what can be done about it.
Climate change is launching a mutant seed space race
7 Mar 2023
Hurtling around the Earth at more than 20 times the speed of sound, some of the tiniest life forms aboard the International Space Station are on a mission to feed people on a warming planet.
Scientists discover a new way climate change threatens cold-blooded animals
6 Mar 2023
All animals need energy to live. They use it to breathe, circulate blood, digest food and move. Young animals use energy to grow, and later in life, to reproduce.
Ocean tipping point: Climate change to worsen rapidly
3 Mar 2023
The oceans help to limit global warming by soaking up carbon dioxide emissions. But scientists have discovered that intense warming in the future could lessen that ability, leading to even more severe warming.
La Niña could lead to more heavy rain in the North Island
2 Mar 2023
Weather in the flood ravaged North Island looks to be drier in the coming months, but La Niña could still lead to the risk of heavy rain, according to NIWA’s March to May outlook.
The counting of 9.9 billion trees could help manage climate credits and nature restoration
2 Mar 2023
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and NASA have developed a method that has now mapped several billion trees and their carbon uptake in Africa's Sahel region.
Microalgae to help capture carbon from power plants in new research venture
2 Mar 2023
US researchers have been awarded a $2 million grant from the Department of Energy to explore the potential of microalgae to absorb CO₂ emissions from industrial power plants.
Could imitating volcanos fix the climate crisis? Science is spilt
1 Mar 2023
The controversial theory of solar geoengineering is at the centre of a growing body of climate research in Asia and elsewhere.
Scientists want near moratorium on geoengineering to cool climate — for now
1 Mar 2023
Scientists are slamming the brakes on deliberately interfering with the climate to temporarily counteract global warming until the pros and cons are more fully known.
Urban rewilding combats global biodiversity decline
Wed 28 May 2025
Media release | A new study led by the University of Sydney reveals how cities around the world are restoring wildlife to their former habitats in the face of ongoing urban sprawl.
US dairy farmers consider return on climate-smart milk
22 May 2025
The approach is just one of many dairy practices now considered “climate-smart” because they could cut production of climate-warming gases.
Greenwashing is rife in Australia, but could its days be numbered?
Wed 28 May 2025
COMMENT: Have you ever ticked the box to “fly carbon neutral”, had something delivered via “carbon-neutral shipping” or chosen to pay a bit extra to buy “carbon-neutral gas” from your energy retailer?
Help sustainable aviation fuels take off or delay targets, airlines warn EU
20 May 2025
Earmarked funding, risk-reduction tools, and simplified imports top Airlines for Europe’s wish list for the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Govt's RMA overhaul sparks fears for nature and climate
Fri 30 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has opened public consultation on the biggest overhaul of environmental planning rules in New Zealand’s history, with critics warning it puts nature and climate at risk in favour of fast-tracked development and industry expansion.
Sustainability claims questioned as renewable diesel surges
14 May 2025
Critics are sceptical about industry claims of renewable diesel life-cycle greenhouse gas emission cuts and warn renewable diesel carbon releases will surge if sourcing is scaled up, triggering tropical deforestation as producers convert forests to energy crops, such as oil palm and soy.
Govt mulls status quo for ETS auction settings
Thu 29 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has released its consultation on the Climate Change Commission’s latest advice on Emissions Trading Scheme auction settings and volumes, putting forward the option to ignore the commission’s advice to boost auction volumes from 2028-2030.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
Carbon price too low to fund carbon capture
20 May 2025
The government’s climate target to 2030 is at risk, after revelations that a carbon capture project which the government was relying on to deliver one third of its carbon reductions, might not go ahead.
Fight over coal mine heats up
Fri 30 May 2025
Forest & Bird is calling on the government to create a new scientific reserve covering the Denniston Plateau on the West Coast, which would stop a fast-tracked coal mine.
Trump’s actions are already having consequences for climate, especially for the IPCC - expert
11 Apr 2025
Leading climate scientist, Dr Kevin Trenberth, left the US and came home to New Zealand because of the rise of Donald Trump. In this comment piece, he writes that he is appalled in multiple ways by the so-called “war on science” unfolding through staff cuts and the president’s policy edicts.
Owning a green home could cut mortgage payback time by two years
9 May 2025
A green certified home plus a green mortgage and associated energy bill savings could save Kiwi families up to $98,800 over the course of their mortgage - the equivalent of being mortgage-free several years early, according to new research.
Cuts to climate finance put exports in jeopardy: Lawyers
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has halved international climate finance, a move aid organisations describe as “devastating,” and which lawyers say could put our Paris Agreement commitments and export market access at risk.
Watts talks big on energy reform, but barriers persist
Thu 29 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Energy and Climate Change minister Simon Watts says the government is doubling down on efforts to boost renewable energy generation, streamline regulation, and drive private sector investment as New Zealand faces mounting energy security and affordability challenges.
Could ‘orange’ hydrogen be NZ’s key to net-zero?
Fri 30 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand could be sitting on resources for a thriving multi-billion-dollar, low-carbon hydrogen economy, which might even be capable of creating a net reduction of carbon dioxide, according to scientists.
Govt budgets $200m for would-be gas investors
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | Energy Resources Aotearoa has welcomed the government's plan to co-invest $200 million in fossil gas expansion, while environmental and climate groups have reacted with horror.
Glacier collapse buries most of Swiss village
Fri 30 May 2025
The Swiss village of Blatten has been partially destroyed after a huge chunk of glacier crashed down into the valley.
Oceans Commission must have teeth – minister
14 May 2025
If an Oceans Commission were to be established under the government it would need genuine powers to make change, says Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones.
Water crisis on the horizon?
26 May 2025
Media release | Sewage contaminating Auckland oyster farms highlights the “dire state” of water infrastructure in Aotearoa, says University of Auckland Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
Hotter and deeper: how NZ’s plan to drill for ‘supercritical’ geothermal energy holds promise and risk
2 Apr 2025
By David Dempsey, University of Canterbury | New Zealand’s North Island features a number of geothermal systems, several of which are used to generate some 1,000 MegaWatts of electricity. But deeper down there may be even more potential.
Electrification challenge for politicians, regulators
Tue 27 May 2025
Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for stronger political leadership to bring its vision of a cheaper, cleaner and stronger energy system to life, with the launch of its policy manifesto today.
Nelson backs ‘ambitious’ emissions target, but mayor nervous
26 May 2025
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Nelson’s mayor has been accused of “pouring cold water” on ambitious greenhouse gas emission targets proposed for the city.
Energy Australia is in court accused of greenwashing. What is the case about and why is it significant?
16 May 2025
Climate group alleges energy giant misled 400,000 customers about ‘Go Neutral’ product, arguing that carbon credits don’t actually remove emissions.
Methanex closure comes early this year
14 May 2025
The almost-now-annual closure of Methanex has come earlier this year, giving more confidence that the electricity system will get through the winter without a fuel shortfall.
While govt ‘refreshes’ fund for low carbon trucks, are transport emissions set to accelerate?
Wed 28 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has announced it is updating the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, however cuts to funds to decarbonise transport in last week’s budget, and potential changes to road user charges, could stall transport emissions reductions.
Climate change could drive surge in foreclosures and lender losses, new study finds
22 May 2025
Extreme weather linked to climate change could spell financial ruin for many American homeowners and lead to billions in losses for lenders, a new study finds.
Will NZ walk away from the Paris Agreement?
20 Dec 2024
By Geoff Bertram | COMMENT: Unless the government can find very cheap offshore mitigation, the temptation to walk away from its Paris Agreement obligations may well be too strong to resist for a coalition government focused on fiscal austerity.
Energy Australia apologises to 400,000 customers and settles greenwashing legal action
22 May 2025
Energy retailer says carbon offsetting ‘not the most effective way’ to reduce emissions.
Kiwi cleantech companies on the world stage
Tue 27 May 2025
Six New Zealand 'cleantech' companies were in Singapore earlier this month, along with a venture capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, to meet investors and multinational partners.
Carbon News launches price index
24 Jun 2024
Today’s issue is the first to feature Carbon News’ own carbon price index for secondary market spot prices for NZUs on New Zealand’s compliance market.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
Thu 29 May 2025
Media release | New research from the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reveals that about 107 million tonnes of natural resources were required to produce the goods and services consumed by New Zealanders in 2019 – approximately 21 tonnes per person on average.
World’s nations to gather in France to tackle what UN says is a global emergency in the oceans
Fri 30 May 2025
The world’s nations are gathering in France next month to tackle what the United Nations calls a global emergency facing the world’s oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
Europe’s next climate target may already have been agreed in Berlin
Wed 28 May 2025
Germany’s new coalition has adopted a climate stance shaped by talks with the EU’s top climate official, signalling where the bloc may land on a likely upcoming 2040 emissions target.
Warm water affecting Antarctica’s largest ice shelf - new research
22 Apr 2025
While Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf is currently stable, new research shows warm water is reaching up to 170 kilometres under the front of the ice shelf.
NZ's first chance in 20 years to catch up on waste
Fri 30 May 2025
Media release | The government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter.
Dismissals 'massive win' for climate movement
13 May 2025
The outstanding charges against 25 climate activists who disrupted traffic in Wellington have been dropped, a move the group calls a win for the climate movement.
Straterra has a new name: the New Zealand Minerals Council
16 Apr 2025
Media release | Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
Green budget 'ludicrous la-la land' – govt
15 May 2025
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the budget was "clown show economics" and an "absolute circus".
United Nations carbon market rules agreed but concerns remain
25 Nov 2024
New carbon market rules agreed at the fractious UN climate summit will be a relief to New Zealand and Singapore, who were leading the negotiations, but concerns about greenwashing and disadvantaging nature-based solutions remain.
More than 1 in 4 cars sold globally in 2025 expected to be EV: IEA report
26 May 2025
According to the Global EV Outlook 2025 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2025 is set to be big for EV sales. The report predicts that about one in four cars sold worldwide this year will be electric, despite overall market uncertainties.
Brazil seeks early deals on two stalled issues at Bonn climate talks
26 May 2025
Moving forward work on just transition and implementing recommendations from the Global Stocktake of climate progress are key priorities for upcoming UN negotiations.
Global sea levels rise spelling catastrophe for coastal towns and cities
14 May 2025
For around 2,000 years, global sea levels varied little. That changed in the 20th century. They started rising and have not stopped since — and the pace is accelerating.
Tropical forest loss hit new heights in 2024; fire a major driver in Latin America
23 May 2025
Tropical forest loss skyrocketed in 2024, with vast swaths of primary forest consumed by fire, according to new satellite data.
NZ moving too slowly to decarbonise – former commission chair
22 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand's energy transition is too slow and too controlled by vested interests, according to former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr.
